The 25 – Ted Boscana

Ted Boscana has spent three decades immersed in woodworking and the historic building trades. Today, he serves as Director of Historic Trades and Skills at Colonial Williamsburg, overseeing 27 shops and sites where skilled craftsmen bring the past to life for visitors from around the world.

Boscana’s passion for woodworking began in his adolescence, when he worked as a carpenter’s helper for his father, Edwin. He honed his skills through a six-year apprenticeship in Carpentry and Joinery at Colonial Williamsburg. His journeyman project—reconstructing a lumber house on the Peyton Randolph site—deepened his interest in 18th-century joinery. That passion led him to help establish the Joiner’s Shop as a distinct trade within the museum’s interpretive program.

Over the years, Boscana has contributed to the reconstruction of more than 30 historic buildings in the Historic Area. While his role now focuses on leadership rather than daily bench work, his mallet and chisel are never far from reach when a new building project calls.